You are TWO years old today, my sweet baby girl...

Dear Claire,

You are two years old today.  How can it be that two years ago I held you for the first time and fell in love with you before you even reached my arms.  

How can it be that long ago that I learned what the love of a mother truly meant.  Everyday you bless our lives.  I'll be honest, you challenge us too.  You are strong willed, determined, incredibly smart and you are growing up way too fast.  

Of all the things I love to do with you, it is the little things I love the most.  I love our trips to the grocery store.  I love showing you the moon at night.  I love our quiet moments when you cuddle with me on the couch...although they are much too short and I wish you would stay with me longer.  I love that every morning when I help you get dressed the first thing you say is, "I go show Daddy!" because you know he is going to adore you and tell you how much he loves you and how cute you are.  There are so many fleeting moments, it's hard to hold onto them all.  Sometimes they happen so quickly I don't even get to say goodbye to them before they are gone and you are on to something new.  

These past two years seem like a lifetime and the blink of an eye all at once.  I can hardly remember what life was like without you and yet the time goes so fast.  I pray everyday for God to keep you healthy and strong.  I pray that we are doing the best for you.  It is a big job to be your mommy and daddy and I know that sometimes we miss our mark and we aren't perfect, but I know that God is watching over you and helping us to be the best we can for you.

This year is going to bring big changes for you as we welcome your baby brother into the family.  I know that it will be an adjustment for you.  I hope that I can be the mom of 2 that you both deserve.  You keep me BUSY, BUSY, BUSY these days and sometimes when things get crazy I wonder how I'll be able to do it all, but I know that somehow it will all work out.  

Here are some things I want to remember about you at age 2

• you have an incredible imagination and pretend play all the time
• you say everything we say...your vocabulary astounds us!
• you know your ABC's
• you can count to 10 and sometimes to 20
• you are a Daddy's girl and you anticipate his arrival everyday when he comes home from work
• you tell Daddy not to wear a work shirt on weekdays, and go get a "cozy" shirt for him in hopes it will make him stay home
• when daddy leaves for work, you tell him you are sad and you want him to hold you like a baby...it breaks his heart...he loves you so much
• you love to draw moons and stars all the time
• your new favorite game is to dress up like Cinderella and say, "I dropped my glass slipper Dada" and have him go get it and try it on you, and then tell you, "It fits!"  You do this over and over again!
• you are very social and make friends with everyone!
• you can throw a ball and kick and run and jump...you love to slide and swing

We had a special pancake birthday breakfast for you this morning!  We sang you Happy Birthday and you blew out your candles *almost* all by yourself!  I made you a triple stack of mini pancakes to be sure your candles would stay up thinking you would only eat about half of it...but you cleared your whole plate!  It's safe to say you LOVED your birthday breakfast!

We love you so much Claire and we wish you a very, very Happy 2nd Birthday!  You are such a blessing and you mean the world to us.  We love you to the moon and back!

Click here to read about Claire's Birthday Party if you missed it!